Who/what would you be?
- Thread starter BEHR655
- Start date
Most of probably would have been.... dead. Life was short back then, many women died in childbirth and lots of kids died from diseases that would only make them miss school for a few days today. I enjoy reading about the old times in books about the pines and also daydream about it from time to time. But what really strikes me from those stories is just how hard life was back then, and how much we take for granted today.
In that time period, I wouldn't have lived past 19 years of age. With that in mind, I guess I am quite happy to live in the era I'm in.
Greg
It seems, statistically, if you made it past ten years of age back in the 19th and 18th centuries, you had a good shot at reaching an advanced age. Sometimes I have to double check dates because I can't believe how old this great grandmother or that great great Aunt was. Many 90+ year-olds amongst my ancestors, which I wasn't expecting. These people had to be active from Cock's Crow, to sun-down just to survive. Farming. Hunting. Building boats. Chopping wood. Shooting at the British or the tax collector. Taking care of 12 kids and all the work and responsibility that entails. I can't imagine the diapering situation in 1798. I think genetics and keeping active is the secret to longevity. Nothing less, nothing more. Retire from a 9 to 5 job by all means; but never retire to a comfy old rocker and the History channel; It could kill you. I also recommend an occasional swig of Jersey lightening. My fore-bearers swore by it.
B